Tweeter’s Remorse? Some Users Regret What They’ve Shared On Social Media

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NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — These days it seems like everybody is using Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to share their most intimate thoughts online.

Social media has become a sort of diary, minus the lock and key, but now many people are having regrets about things that they have posted and shared with the world.

“I’m going to be a senior in college this year, so employers are definitely looking to see what they can dig up,” one woman told CBS 2’s Emily Smith.

More than a quarter of social media users between the ages of 18 and 34 have admitted to being concerned that something they posted online could affect their jobs, according to Find Law, a legal information website.

An additional 1 out of 3 users said that they regret something that they posted on a social media site, 21 percent said that they have removed posts that they feared would cost them employment, and 82 percent said that they pay attention to privacy settings.

“I am definitely unsearchable on Facebook,” one user said. “So I don’t think I have any tagged pictures or anything. Privacy is a concern of mine.”

Despite the best efforts of some users to cover their tracks, experts told CBS 2 that simply removing something doesn’t mean that it won’t be found in cyberspace.

“The first thing someone does when they hire someone is go to their LinkedIn and Facebook,” headhunter Stephen Viscusi said.

Pictures of family, pets, and fun are fine, but there are caveats and even good news can be perceived as a distraction.